Zedler, M.D. // Daryl Dixon

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Welcome to the Family

"It's just a good day," she smiles, taking a deep breath once we get outside of block A. "He's in the library."

"Okay," I trail off, still suspicious of how she's acting, but I try not to let it faze me. She points to the library, stopping a few feet away. "You aren't coming?"

"Nah," she waves her hand in the air. "I have to, uh, go see Baxly."

I raise my eyebrow at her, but turn around anyway, wheeling my IV pole along with me as I turn to the library.

"Oh, my goodness," I look around once I'm in the room. There are several candles lit, scattered around the room, with Daryl standing in the middle. "This is beautiful, Daryl."

"And so are you," he smirks as I walk closer to him.

"What's all this for?" I raise my eyebrow at him.

"I, uh, need to talk to you about something," he starts to open his mouth again, but shuts it again.

"Okay, well, you don't have to act nervous," I laugh. "It's just me, Daryl. You can say anything to me."

"Right now probably ain't the best time for this. It's just that I thought you were gonna die, and you almost did," he gulps, taking my free hand in his. "I love you, and I don't want you to die, well, not for a really long time, and not without me by your side every day."

"Daryl, this is starting to sound like a marriage proposal," I try to joke, but he doesn't laugh.

"That's, uh, that's because it is," he says, dropping down on one knee.

"Holy shit, you're kidding, Daryl!" I exclaim, clasping my hand over my mouth to cover up the fact that it's gaping open.

"I'm not."

Tears immediately prick in my eyes, and I tighten my grip on my IV pole so that I don't fall over, which I very well could do right now. His eyes flicker from my hand, taking it back in his, and back to my eyes before he speaks again.

"You could have died from that walker bite. According to everything we know, you should have died, but you didn't. I don't know why, and I don't believe in miracles, but you truly are one. You scared the shit out of me, and it just goes to show that we could die at any time. You could be taken from me at any time.

"You've made me a better person, changed me for the better. You make me happy, and I don't know if I've ever been happy in my whole life. You make this shitty world worth living in," he pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath. "My point is, I don't want to spend another minute not married to the woman I love, and I love you.

"So, Doctor Beatrix Arianna Zedler, M.D., will you marry me?"

Daryl lets go of my hand momentarily, only to pull a small box out of his pocket. He opens it up to reveal the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. If the tears weren't already water-falling out of my eyes, they sure are now.

"Yes, Daryl!" I cry, a sob wracking through my body. "Yes, yes, yes, of course I will marry you!"

Daryl pulls the ring out of the small box, slipping it onto my finger before he stands up. I immediately wrap my arms around his neck, crashing my lips onto his. I still can't stop crying. To be honest, I don't know if I'll ever stop crying. I never would have expected this to happen. Literally, never in a million years did I see Daryl doing something like this for me. I knew he loved me, but I didn't think we would ever get married or anything; it doesn't seem like a very Daryl thing to do.

"I love you so much," I whisper, pulling away to dig my face into the crook of his neck. "I can't believe this is real."

"Me either, just to be honest," he pulls away, wiping the tears from my eyes. I can't help but smile at the sight of a smile on his face. It isn't juts a regular smile, either; it's a full smile, teeth and all. I've never seen one of those come from Daryl, ever.